PreWar Press

The Magazine

This week Paris will be the place to be for those who hold a passion for old and exceptional cars. A particularly rare example is being offered for sale on Friday 5th in Bonham’s auction of ‘Les Grandes Marques du Monde au Grand Palais’. Lot 373 is a 1930 Isotta Fraschini 8A SS Cabriolet in absolutely perfect condition after a comprehensive restoration by its current owner and during the careful research (to ensure all details were correct) it was discovered, almost certainly, to be the very car that graced the Isotta stand at the 1930 Milan Salone dell'Auto.

Isotta Fraschini’s chief engineer Giustino Cattaneo focused on a one model policy in the 1920's, and launched the world’s first production straight-eight motor car, the Tipo 8, in 1920. The revised Tipo 8A was introduced in 1924 at the London Motor Show and featured a 7.3 litre engine producing about 115bhp, and the SS (Super Spinto) 135bhp at 2,600 rpm.

An open 4 seater example came 6th in the first Mille Miglia driven by Count Aymo Maggi with co-driver Bindo Maserati, chief test driver at Isotta Fraschini. It wasn’t so much a desire to win as to enter socially, the head of Isotta having created the Mille Miglia.

The engine gained a good reputation for smooth and reliable running and the enormous torque prompted the company to state in the owner’s handbook that first gear was only for uphill starting and the car could normally be started in second with a change to third as soon as 30mph was reached. The crankshaft was machined from a single billet of steel , turning in 10 bearings within the aluminium crankcase – the block and head being of cast iron.

The body is from Castagna who were renowned for their stylised quality interiors and this exceptionally fine example has being carefully refurbished. Retaining the existing silver hardware and inlays, referencing other Isottas, its leather has been carefully renewed in the correct patterns, with the tasteful embellishment of ostrich hide panels to the doors, and arm rest panels. Luxurious and decorative Carpathian elm veneers are incorporated into its wood finishes.

To fully appreciate this magnificent car, you have to see it in the flesh, to explore every glorious, majestic expensive inch of it, and begin to appreciate why they were chosen by owners such as Rudolph Valentino, Jack Dempsey and this car believed to have belonged to the son of William Randolph Hearst. Isotta Fraschini themselves published a list of owners of their cars: a Queen (Rumania) , a King ( Faisal), an Empress ( Abyssinia), seventeen princes, four princesses, four Maharajahs, the Aga Khan, Benito Mussolini, assorted dukes and duchesses, barons, counts and viscounts, and heading the list, His Holiness The Pope.

To see one of these hallowed Isotta Fraschinis freshly restored gives some idea of the sheer presence and statement that they must have made when they graced the roads in the Twenties and Thirties, quite literally people must have been awestruck. And yet they balance this with refined blend of engineering and style, a clean uncomplicatedengine bay, stylised dashboard, and uncluttered interior epitomising the Art Deco era. As a late example quite a long way down the production, and probable Salon car, this may be considered to be one of the definitive examples of its marque, and as a result it is all the more rare and covetable.

Reg Harris reports: "I have always had an interest in cars and even as a ten year old I could identify most makes and models that were common at the time (early 1940's). As with most of us, cars became just a means-to-an-end . However, many years later the "Old Car Bug" caught up with me and I just had to have one. Just what, I did not know but I knew that when I saw IT, that would be the one. This happened in Novemver 1971 when I bought my 1933 Citroen Rosalie Tourer in a very-much unrestored condition only 2 hours after seeing it and never having seen one before.

At the time I did not realise how rare it was here in Australia, and this presented some big problems. So far as I know there is only one other rosalie on the road, a sedan, and many "gunnadoos", all sedans. Mine is the only tourer, and as all had Australian bodies, they are slightly different to the English & French ones. Slough cars were imported in chassis-cowl form and had bodies built here. Flood Body Works in Melbourne bodied the sedans and coupes, ahile TJ Richards, in Adelaide did the tourers and roadsters. Restouation was a long drawn out process what with setting up a new home, family commitments and financial constraints.

However, in early 1980, I finally had Rosie on the road and it gave Pam & me a great deal of pleasure going on many Club runs and displays. Many other involvements got in the way of car club activities so her total milage since restoration is fairly modest. Towards the end of 2013, I realised that at 82 years of age, I was losing confidence driving an old car in modern traffic, so decided that the time had come for the parting of the ways. Also we were moving into a retirement village villa with accommodation for only one car.

I am very fortunate that an avid Citroen collector had admired the car for over 30 years as he did not have a Rosalie in his very extensive stable. Years ago I decided that when this time came that is where I wanted her to be. It was with some sadness, but knowing she was going to a good home, that I drove her onto the trailer for my last drive and we waved goodbye to Rosie after 43 years of happy (mostly) ownership. As she is only about 300 km away, I know that I can drop in to see her in her new home."

Leo Schildkamp found this wonderful brochure form the dawn of motoring. An italina paint firm trying to get hold on this new market segment. Our guess is that they were active in the carriage painting busienss already before. The depicted colours are true samples glued in the brochure. Of course we knew there were many possible colours in that time as well, but still we are amazed by this fabulous richesse. Leo did some research and at least the name of the brand Ciclolux is still existing. Maybe we can help dating the brochure based on the motorbike. Our rough guess... 1902/03.

You will not be surprised to read that you're looking at a wellknown GM product. Yet, that's the easy part. The challenge for you is to decide which exact type and which body is the object of this weekend's quiz. We don't think you need too many extra hints. What we can add is that the car only recently emerged from oblivion. And the owner of course knows a lot more, but he also has many unanswered questions. Next week Saturday you will learn all about it.

Now before writing down your response, be sure to read the Rules under Read More. This may be your chance to win the coveted PreWarCar T-shirt. Results and source of photo will be published next Saturday, February 7.

PreWarCar.com is the truly international webmagazine and marketplace with the focus on motorcars, automobiles and motorbikes made prior to 1940. The best known platform for antique and brass cars, veteran and edwardian motorcars, vintage and post-vintage sports cars and racing cars. But for sure also family cars and even trucks. You will find here - or can upload by yourselves - news on coming auctions, autojumbles, concours d'elegance, rallies, races, hillclimbs, dusty barnfinds and fine books. And of course specialists and more. Plus of course pre-war, brass, vintage, post-vintage and classic cars for sale. And tons of used, pre-war and vintage parts for sale. It is a webmagazine for you... and by you.

PreWarCar started as a concept in 1998 when information on pre 1940 cars was ultimately scarce. We went online in 2001 and three years later PostWarClassic was added. In 2003 PreWarCar.com was awarded with the E.P. Ingersoll Award by the Society of Automotive Historians.